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Have You Ever Seen A Moonbow?

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Excited for the August 21 eclipse? Visit our Eclipse 2017 page to explore the science, history, and myths of the event. The Curiosity team will be viewing the eclipse alongside NASA in Carbondale, Illinois. Follow us on Facebook for live videos, trivia, and interviews on the big day.

Did you know that rainbows can occur at night? These phenomena are called moonbows, or spray moonbows if they form around falling water. Spray moonbows are the easiest kinds of moonbows to spot and photograph, and they reliably occur at the waterfalls in Yosemite National Park. The moonlight that creates moonbows is reflected sunlight, not direct sunlight, which explains why they are dimmer than regular rainbows.

Moonbows At Yosemite

Take a look at these nighttime rainbows for yourself, captured here at Yosemite National Park.